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Friday, July 13, 2012

Cambria Julia’s Vineyard 2009 Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley

This graceful bottle of California Pinot Noir accompanied our meal at the Palomino Restaurant and Bar in Cincinnati. Our table overlooked Fountain Square where a Friday night concert was underway.

It is a juicy wine flowing with red cherry and a bit of earthiness. The flavor notes are light and the tannins soft. The texture is silky and the finish subdued.

Julia’s Vineyard delivered an excellent wine for our evening meal, which ranged from pasta and fish to steak. This is a versatile wine that was in tune with each dish, including my Rigatoni Bolognese.

The sleek Pinot was in contrast to the concert outside where the Australian electro-pop band Art vs. Science was on stage playing their throbbing tunes to an enthusiastic crowd. I thought the music was impressive, but my dinner companions not so much.

This Cambria vino retails for about $23 and is a quality estate grown Pinot that will strike the right chord no matter what the audience.